Golf ball



Alg- 9, 1932- A. G. MCKINNON 1,870,862

GOLF BALL Filed March l1, v1930 lNvENToR .//en/ 6. MCA/ifm 071,

Patented Aug. 9, 1932 PAT-T fg ALLEN Gr. MCKINNON, 0F CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO REVERE RUBBER COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION 0F RHODE ISLAND GOLF BALL .Application :filed March 11, Y1930. Serial N'o. 434,895?.

This invention relates to playing balls and more especiallyto golf balls.

A golf ball in order to meet the requirements of present day standards in the game4 of golf must he so constructed that it will give great distance when struck properly, that its flight will be truewhen struck properly and that the feel or click of the ball when struck by the club hasthose optimum characteristics familiar to one skilled in the game. VVhile golf balls capable of long and true flight when properly struck have been available heretofore, it has been difficult to obtain a ball having the proper feel or click along with the other desired characteristics.

It is the object of this'invention to obtain a novel golf ball and especially a novel golf ball center which when made into a golf ball will result in a ball having the characteristics of long and true flight as Well as having the optimum feel or click. VAlso an object of this invention is to provide a novel center construction. .Other objectsV and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Figure l is a cross section of a golf b all made according to the principles of this 1nvention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section througha golf ball center made according to this invention; and

Fig. 3 shows the parts of the golf ball center in unassembled relation.

According to this invention, a golf ball center is made up of a plurality of parts, as shown in Fig. 3, that part designated by the numeral l being the pellet or pill or core of the center which preferably is spherical, although its shape may depart somewhat from a ball, according to this invention. The core or pill or pellet 1 preferably is of a material moderately stiff although having flexibility in some degree and preferably contains compounding material which gives it considerable density so that as much of the weight of the ball may be positioned as near the geometrical center of the ball as possible. However, this invention in its broadest aspect comprehends a core, pellet or pilll which may be rigid or may be highly flexible and which may be of small or great density and and 5, which preferably take the form of Y semi-spherical cups, as shown in Fig. 3, which fit together first over the pellet and then successively over each precedingl sheath or layer. The shells, sheaths or layers 2, 3, 4 and 5 are independent in the sense that they are not united and may slide one upon another.

The shells 2, 3, i and 5, while preferably made in halves, may beotherwisedivided'so long as they have the capacity for fitting over and around the pill or'the preceding sheath. The number of shells orlayers, as shown in the drawing and as preferred, is four, although two or a greater number may be employed as desired. The shellsare made of a size to t snugly over one anotherwith only slight clearance.` The sheaths are preferably made of a highly lflexible and elastic material, such as a vulcanized rubber compound although the degree of flexibility andresilience of the material of thev sheaths may be varied widely without departing from this invention. The, shells may all be of the same thickness, asV shown. in the drawing, although, if

desired, the successive shells mayy be made each of a different thickness without departing lfrom this invention. The shells 2, 3, l and 5 when in assembled relation preferably interfit so thatcracks between the halves of each shell or sheath do not fall in the same planeand in so far as possible it is preferred the have the cracks between the halves of the shells at right angles to each other or at least at widely divergent angles. However, the Vparticular arrangement of shells in assembled relation may be widely varied within this invention. g l I In order to facilitate sliding-motion between the various shells, it -is preferred to coat all the surfaces of the shells, as well as the pellet 1, lwith ay lubricantV and it is also preferred to incorporate a lubricating ingredient on the shells 2, 3, 4 and 5. While the presence of lubricants on the shells and in the material thereof is preferred, such lubricants are not necessarily essential and the invention may be practiced without them.

While the exact dimensions` of the shells and of the pill l may be varied'widely without departing from this invention, a suitable range ofsizes has been found to be as follows Pill 1 `of a diameter of approximately 5/8 the shells 2, 3, 4 and 5 each of a thiclmess approximating lg and of an interior diameter of the shells such as to fit snugly over the preceding shell or over the pill. A satisfactory composition of material for the shells has beenfound to be as follows:

Ounces Rubber 10 Balata 10 Sulphur l Zinc oxide 1 Reaction product of triethyl. 1trimethylene amine and zinc acetate 40 Hard wood pitch 18 Graphite No. 2 5

vanced by way of explanation. It is believed that due to the ability of the shells 2, .3, 4 and 5 to slide over the pill and over one another,

that when'the ball is struck with the club the around the pill, and a lubricant between the adjacent surfaces of the shells and the pill.

2. A golf ball center having a pill of resilient material, and two or more successive shells of resilient flexible material around the pill,"said material of the shells containing' a lubricating ingredient.

3. A golf ball center having ay pill, two or more shells of resilient flexible material around the pill, a lubricantbetween the ad: j acent'surfaces' of the shells andthe pill, said material of the shells containing a lubricating ingredient.

, 4. AY-golf ball comprising a core, a separate layer of resilient flexible material around the core, one or lmore successive separatelayers 0f resilient exible material aroundv said first layer, a. windinglY of elasticl strands around the last layer, a cover over the wind# ing, a lubricant between the adjacent .sur-

faces of said layers and the core.` v n v 5. A golfl ball-comprising a-core or nucleus containing weight imparting ingredi= ents, a winding of vulcanized.rubber'threaob a plurality of shells of rubber composition intermediate said core and Saidwinding containing aA lubricating substance adapted to facilitate relative movement ofthe?" shells, and a cover over the thread winding;

6. A golf ball comprising alcore or nucleus containing weight imparting ingredients, a winding of vulcanized rrubber thread', a plurality of shellsofrubber composition intermediate said core and said winding pro'- vided with a lubricant therebetween', and a cover over the thread winding.

Signed at Providence, county offProv'i'- dence, State of Rhode Island, this 8th day of March, 1930. Y 1

ALLEN e. McKinnon) deformation whichV takes place in the ball due to the impact of the club is caused to proceed ata slower rate or to be taken up by the sliding and Hexing action of the various shells in,

perhaps, a manner similar to the action of the leaves of* a spring. Regardless of whether this theory of operation is correct,the result attained by using the golf ball center of this invention is a golf ball whichV when struck by a club has the optimum feel or click and that result is attained without sacricing the accuracy and length of the flightvof the ball.

While the invention has been described by way of illustration, it is not intended so to limit the invention inasmuch as variations in the details thereof may be` made without departing from'the scope of the invention as'delined in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters ent is:

1. A golf ball centerhaving a pill, two -or c more shells ofl resilient' lflexible material 

